Staging projects
Practical outcomes are an indispensable focus of study from the first year. By the nature of their profession, directors primarily create production concepts and plans, and then initiate, manage and coordinate production teams. In practical projects, they thus collaborate with students from other disciplines of the department (conductors), faculty (singers, producers) and the entire JAMU (stage designers, scriptwriters, actors).
There are several workplaces and platforms used for various staging projects. Some are part of JAMU, others are created on the basis of cooperation with other entities.
Nine is a miniature theatre space in classroom 09 at the music faculty. It has lighting, sound and stage equipment, an elevated stage (7 x 5 m) and a capacity of about 35 seats. It is the primary laboratory for opera directing students, where they have ample space to experiment with stage means of expression, become familiar with basic technologies and, in the first years of study, prepare their year-long performances.
Chamber opera has its home stage in the state-of-the-art Music and Drama Laboratory of JAMU, Orlí Theatre and is of vital importance to directing students. They first assist their senior colleagues and then direct their own productions. But not only for them. It is a completely unique academic workplace where student teams create a complete opera production with an orchestra twice a year. Students of various disciplines from both faculties work here as directors, conductors, set and costume designers, composers, librettists, singers, actors, production designers, musicians, stage technicians and other professions. Teaching professionals provide supervision and mentoring. For this, students at the Orlí Theatre have a fully professional background.
The students also work as assistant directors with renowned directors at the National Theatre Brno and other domestic venues. In addition, they have the opportunity to study abroad and do internships in the Erasmus+ programme.
Directing students are also involved in other school and extracurricular productions. Recently, JAMU has collaborated in this way with the Prague HAMU, the National Theatre, the Prague Conservatory, the Janáček Brno Festival, the Znojmo Music Festival, Smetana Litomyšl, Moravian Autumn and other entities. Students of directing also participate in a number of independent extra-faculty projects. Cooperation between students of opera directing and the Musical Acting Studio of the Faculty of Performing Arts of JAMU(Bernard Alba, The Theory of Relativity) is also developing.
An equally important focus of the study is independent creative and conceptual work, directorial preparation, analysis of the work, deepening knowledge of opera and dramatic literature, dramaturgy, music history and forms, techniques and methods of creation, development of creativity and more.
We place special emphasis on the development of a distinctive directorial handwriting and freedom of creation. Students are encouraged to search for their own way of artistic expression, to work with topical themes and to make bold but thoughtful interpretations of operatic works, including the possibility to carry out original projects. Of course, reflection on the work, artistic research, an emphasis on critical thinking, and open dialogue between student and teacher are essential.
We regularly organize workshops with inspiring personalities that broaden students’ horizons with different creative approaches and directions. Recently, workshops have been held with David Radok, Rocco, Jiří Heřman, Jan Šotkovský, Pavel Drábek, Tomáš Příkrý and others.
Length of study
It is a five-year master’s degree. If graduates of bachelor’s degree programmes from other schools are interested in studying, they can apply for entrance examinations, take differential examinations and, after successfully passing them, proceed directly to the fourth year at JAMU.